The Workshare Blog

Workshare’s 2015 Technology Predictions

2015 is set to be an exciting year for technology. From Samsung’s recent announcement about funding the Internet of Things to the (continued) movement towards wearable technology and mobilization, change is inevitable. With this in mind, what are the top technology trends for 2015?

How technology can change the workplace in 2015 is something I’m personally excited about. The Economist’s cover story last week discussed the future of the freelance industry, which is rising rapidly. Apps like Handy are giving people the chance to take control of their work structure by matching freelancers with organizations on a project by project basis (effectively allowing people to contract out their brainpower!) This is changing the workplace, in my opinion, for the better. Where some people need the rigidity of an office or organization, others work better and more productively through flexible working, so apps that can enable this should be welcomed.

BYOD and cloud technology will also facilitate this continued movement to flexible working in 2015. As employees continue to use mobile devices for work, they will no longer be attached to their desks and as IT departments accept that shadow IT is happening, they will look towards secure and sanctioned apps to enable the collaboration between employees wherever they are. What’s clear is that physical proximity will no longer restrict collaboration, and technology will make it possible to be productive no matter where you are.

At Workshare, we’re very excited about the year to come, so I’ve asked a few of my colleagues what the top trends for 2015 will be. Here’s what they said:

Anthony Foy, CEO: I think the top technology trend for 2015 will be integration of multiple communication systems: text, instant messaging, and social media. To have a system that allows persistency of information all in one place, regardless of what device you use or where you’re located, will be key for 2015.

James Arnall, Marketing Manager: I think this could be the year we see the first step towards eliminating screens and monitors. Soon everyone will be using projectors, which could eventually lead to a desk and cable free workplace. According to CNET, Apple has already proposed something similar to this, so we’re not too far off. There’s also talk of a wristband that will project images into our forearms, effectively turning our forearms into our smart phone screens. I’m also hoping that 2015 will be the year of the hoverboard.

Matthew Brown, VP Product Management: The top trend for 2015 will focus on people wanting to come together as a group, to work on projects, on any device. BYOD and working on the go will only continue to grow in 2015.

Josephine Farr, UX Researcher: What I find exciting is the impact technology will have on society, humans and relationships in the future. “Big Data” continues to be a hot topic, and along with the quantification of aspects to daily life (calories burned, steps walked, etc) 2015 will see how data can be driven to not only improve individuals’ health, but also to improve the health of society as a whole. Fitbits are only the beginning, according to Tech Republic!

Ali Moinuddin, CMO: This is the year we are going to see a greater move towards the virtualization of the workspace. Rapid advances in communications technologies coupled with the growth of newly industrialized countries with an appetite for creating jobs will be the two key drivers of this. More and more organizations are allowing their employees to work remotely, and collaborative mesh networks are becoming the new way of doing business thanks to new technology and other collaborative platforms. In line with this, we will also see the rise of talent exchange companies, which make it possible for people to compete for work virtually. Jobs and income generation will be distributed to developing countries, as people will be able to compete for jobs no matter where they are located.

More so than recent years, the technology advances we’ll see in 2015 are going to have a tremendous impact on us, whether it’s in our working environment or the way our homes function. What’s clear is that all roads lead to productivity. But hey, where we’re going, we (probably) don’t need roads.

If you want to hear more on our predictions, check out this video. Bring it on, 2015!